Toppman on the Arts

Local arts criticism — from touring Broadway shows to community theater and museum exhibits — from longtime critic Lawrence Toppman

Toppman on the Arts

Mar 11, 2026

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7 min read

The suffragists still demand a hearing

'Suffs' runs through Sunday at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Mar 3, 2026

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7 min read

Hope travels fast in 'Esperanza Rising'

'Esperanza Rising' runs at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte in ImaginOn, 300 E. Seventh St., through March 15

Toppman on the Arts

Feb 25, 2026

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8 min read

The King of Pop never stood still

'MJ The Musical' runs through March 1 at Belk Theater, 130 N Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Two dances, infinite reach in Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Boundless’

Feb 23, 2026

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8 min read

Two dances, infinite reach in Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Boundless’

Charlotte Ballet's "Winter Works: Boundless" runs through March 21 at McBride-Bonnefoux Center for Dance, 701 N. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

'The Flick' goes off-stage and out of earshot

Feb 16, 2026

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6 min read

'The Flick' goes off-stage and out of earshot

The play runs through Saturday (Feb. 21) at Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St.

Toppman on the Arts

‘Primary Trust’ banks on subtlety — and cashes in

Feb 10, 2026

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6 min read

‘Primary Trust’ banks on subtlety — and cashes in

‘Primary Trust’ runs through Feb. 22 at Three Bone Theater, 1545 W. Trade St.

Toppman on the Arts

Brotherhood, bruises and a rumble worth hearing

Feb 4, 2026

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7 min read

Brotherhood, bruises and a rumble worth hearing

'The Outsiders' runs through Feb. 8 at Belk Theater, 130 N Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Jan 27, 2026

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7 min read

Ready for lift off

"Above and Beyond" runs through April 19 at Discovery Place, 168 W. Sixth St.

Toppman on the Arts

Jan 21, 2026

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7 min read

'Spamalot' rides again

The show runs through Tuesday (Jan. 27) at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Jan 13, 2026

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7 min read

A quiet, patient kind of rebellion

‘Renaissance, Romanticism and Rebellion’ runs through Feb. 22 at the Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

When machines dazzle, menace — and maybe outgrow us

Jan 6, 2026

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7 min read

When machines dazzle, menace — and maybe outgrow us

"Assembly Lines" runs through Feb. 2 at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, 420 S. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Three Gantt Center exhibits that stir the soul and settle the mind

Dec 19, 2025

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8 min read

Three Gantt Center exhibits that stir the soul and settle the mind

The exhibitions run into 2026 at the Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

The snow day Charlotte misses (and can finally have)

Dec 16, 2025

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7 min read

The snow day Charlotte misses (and can finally have)

"Snow Days" runs through Feb. 1 at Discovery Place, 301 N. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Dec 8, 2025

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7 min read

A Christmas Carol gone rogue — or rouge

'Scrooge in Rouge' runs through Dec. 20 at Warehouse PAC, 9216 Westmoreland Road

Toppman on the Arts

‘The Magicians Table’ has a few tricks up its sleeve

Nov 28, 2025

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7 min read

‘The Magicians Table’ has a few tricks up its sleeve

The magic show runs through Feb. 15 at Blume Studios, 904 Post St.

Toppman on the Arts

Nov 19, 2025

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7 min read

The hills are alive more than ever

'The Sound of Music' runs through Nov. 23 at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Nov 11, 2025

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7 min read

Battle lines are drawn in 'Eureka Day'

'Eureka Day' runs through Nov. 23 at The Arts Factory, 1545 W. Trade St.

Toppman on the Arts

Charlotte hides in plain sight in 'Christy'

Nov 7, 2025

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6 min read

Charlotte hides in plain sight in 'Christy'

'Christy,' filmed mostly in Charlotte, is now playing in theaters everywhere

Toppman on the Arts

Nov 5, 2025

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6 min read

No king, all queens in 'SIX'

'SIX' runs through Sunday at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Fall Works’ belongs to November

Oct 30, 2025

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7 min read

Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Fall Works’ belongs to November

The four-show production runs through Saturday at Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

All aboard 'Orient Express' at Theatre Charlotte

Oct 27, 2025

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7 min read

All aboard 'Orient Express' at Theatre Charlotte

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ runs through Nov. 9 at Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Road

Toppman on the Arts

The Mint's double exhibit is kickin’ on multiple levels

Oct 14, 2025

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9 min read

The Mint's double exhibit is kickin’ on multiple levels

Both exhibits are on display through Jan. 4 at The Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road

Toppman on the Arts

After more than 60 years, 'A Raisin in the Sun' still stings

Sep 20, 2025

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7 min read

After more than 60 years, 'A Raisin in the Sun' still stings

It runs through Sept. 28 at Matthews Playhouse, 100 E. McDowell St., Matthews

Toppman on the Arts

'The Sunset Limited': Wrestling with hope and nothing

Sep 12, 2025

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7 min read

'The Sunset Limited': Wrestling with hope and nothing

It runs through Sept. 27 at The Arts Factory, 1545 W. Trade St., at Johnson C. Smith University

Toppman on the Arts

When Jane Austen meets musical theater, sparks don’t fly

Sep 4, 2025

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7 min read

When Jane Austen meets musical theater, sparks don’t fly

'Austen’s Pride' runs through Sept. 7 at Knight Theater, 430 S Tryon St.

Toppman on the Arts

The suffragists still demand a hearing

Hope travels fast in 'Esperanza Rising'

The King of Pop never stood still

Two dances, infinite reach in Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Boundless’

'The Flick' goes off-stage and out of earshot

‘Primary Trust’ banks on subtlety — and cashes in

Brotherhood, bruises and a rumble worth hearing

Ready for lift off

'Spamalot' rides again

A quiet, patient kind of rebellion

When machines dazzle, menace — and maybe outgrow us

Three Gantt Center exhibits that stir the soul and settle the mind

The snow day Charlotte misses (and can finally have)

A Christmas Carol gone rogue — or rouge

‘The Magicians Table’ has a few tricks up its sleeve

The hills are alive more than ever

Battle lines are drawn in 'Eureka Day'

Charlotte hides in plain sight in 'Christy'

No king, all queens in 'SIX'

Charlotte Ballet’s ‘Fall Works’ belongs to November

All aboard 'Orient Express' at Theatre Charlotte

The Mint's double exhibit is kickin’ on multiple levels

After more than 60 years, 'A Raisin in the Sun' still stings

'The Sunset Limited': Wrestling with hope and nothing

When Jane Austen meets musical theater, sparks don’t fly

The Charlotte Ledger